Kindergarten

Hello, I wanted to tell you about the kindergarten that our little boy Isaac will be attending as from this week:
We took him to his induction day last week, what a place!
It was fantastic. They encourage you to help out and get involved, bring them in from 8.30am -10am, so laid back. there are several play areas that the child can choose from and change to at any time! I really enjoyed it myself and made many 'kiddy friends', ha! They only allow healthy eating so no crisps etc... just fruit and healthy lunches. Fine by us! Anything to get your child to adapt a healthier way of eating has to get the thumbs up!
Outside the play area was very impressive. There are big tables with tools, (real hammers and nails, even a real saw!!! ?:-/)
My 19 month old girl was also allowed to join in and do as she pleased, even though it's for 3-4 year olds!
This sort of pre-school is definitely more in tune with Isaac's needs so that he can be inqusitive and explore to his heart's content! This is so much better than his UK one.
I feel really happy about this place which is a 5 minute walk from our house.

Re: Kindergarten

Your experience sounds pretty much similar to my opinion of kindergarten (kindy) in this country - an awesome place for kids to go and much better than the UK! We'd heard that over here, kids were allowed to be, well, kids and that they were allowed to grow up at their own pace, rather than forcing them to be little adults by the time they were 5 or 6, and this has turned out to be totally true in our experience.

We sent our daughter along to a kindy in Tauranga when she was 4 for a few hours a week in an effort to help her settle. I made the classic British mistake of sending her to kindy in her best clothes and shoes and soon realised what a mistake that was when she was coming home covered in paint, crayon, water, etc - you name it, it was on her clothes! And that was the whole point - kids ARE allowed to be kids, and when it comes to fun, anything goes. Our daughter is now in her second year of primary school and only last week, came home looking like a snowman, covered in something white - I found out that the teachers had mixed up some cornflour and water and basically let the kids do what they want with it (outside, I hasten to add) - throw it in the air, smother it on themselves, make shapes with it, whatever! The kids had an awesome time and not one parent batted an eyelid.

My friend also has a 3 year old who goes to a kindy that has real hammers, saws, nails, etc, and while I was a bit dubious at first, they are well supervised and no-one has had any accidents, and it teaches them how to handle real tools from a young age.

Another time, they had a fund-raising 'mad hair day' in school which was a blast - we sprayed her hair orange and created a wacky hairstyle and she went to school looking like an orange that'd been plugged into an electrical socket! (We had more fun when she came home too - it was a sunny day so we got the hose out and hosed her down outside and all the colour came out of her hair and turned her body orange!).

So, to summarise, if you are bringing children to NZ and sending them to kindy/primary school, be prepared for a mess and a lot of fun ?;D

Re: Kindergarten

A big 'Hurray' on the healthy eating bit. ?It's a good start in life for the kids as long as the parents subscribe to it at home as well.

As for the real tools, could it be that young kiwis are brought up in the DIY culture as they will, at some point, probably be putting what they've learned into practice as per the news article I posted the other day about kiwis having to go for the DIY option instead of moving house or having a new one built? ? ? ;)

Re: Kindergarten

They only allow healthy eating so no crisps etc... just fruit and healthy lunches. Fine by us! Anything to get your child to adapt a healthier way of eating has to get the thumbs up!
Outside the play area was very impressive.

Lunchbox check to curb obesity not on cards
25 October 2006

The Education Review Office (ERO) says it will not be checking pupils' lunchboxes in an attempt to address childhood obesity rates but plans to encourage exercise classes and nutrition.

ERO chief review officer Karen Sewell made the comments during an education and science select committee today. National MP Jacqui Dean asked Ms Sewell how ERO was evaluating the effect childhood obesity had on learning.

Ms Sewell said the primary role of schools was education but that was "quite a broad thing". "At the moment where there are chunks of a child's life that is missing then schools do have to follow that up." Ms Sewell said she would not expect ERO to check lunch boxes.

The real answer could be found with physical education classes and teaching children healthy eating habits, she said.

The Government announced a $67 million four-year campaign aimed at lifting physical activity and slashing New Zealand's growing obesity rates ? targeting schools in particular ? last month. The campaign aimed to improve nutrition in schools and early childhood centres and more school, internet and television promotion of healthy food.

Education Minister Steve Maharey said at the time of the launch schools would be strongly encouraged to get rid of poor-quality food from their tuck shops. The policy would not be policed other than by ERO.

Failure to meet the new standards would result in a black mark for the school on ERO reports, Mr Maharey said.

Re: Kindergarten

Hi Welshgirl,

Yeah I forgot to mention the green top that I had sent Isaac to 'kindy' in! He came home wearing an orange one!! (Orange paint!)... washed out though! I've been sending him in wellies now too cuz he hasn't got any 'old' shoes yet!! (Kids don't do they? They grow out of them within a few weeks so nothing is old!)
You're right, kids are allowed to be just that and it reminds me of the olden days, well my mums' days!!! Ha!
He is so happy there, that I said to his dad, " If nothing else, it's all woth it just to see how happy he is there!" A real bonus!
Hi Motherbear: I'm searching for a 'kindy' for adults that will coincide with Isaac's, so they can teach me to eat healthily too!! Ha... well I do eat very healthily: fresh potatoes cooked gently in a simmering swirl of sizzling oil, free range lean & happy beef carefully shaped into a mouth-watering pattie incorporating freshly picked rosemary from chilly Spring garden and other tempting herbs - grilled thoroughly on both sides and placed lovingly between a pleasantly plump bun! Oh and don't forget the salad!
:-/